Tag: brake

With our goals to make more power, we often forget about the opposite requirement so speed…stopping. The CorkSport Big Brake Caliper Kit is a great place to start, however, if you wish you could stop even faster say hello to the CorkSport 13inch Big Brake Kit. Designed for serious stopping power, it includes 13” directional rotors, powder-coated 4-piston calipers, upgraded pads, and everything you need to install it on your Mazdaspeed 6.

Read on for a breakdown of all the components:

2-Piece Rotors

Lots of thought has put into the design of the performance rotors found in the CorkSport 13inch BBK. The upgrade to 13inch diameter rotors provides greater braking torque for an equivalent braking force (like how a longer wrench makes it easier to loosen a tight bolt). The increased diameter combined with a thicker 28mm (vs 25mm for OE) rotor ring provides better cooling as there is a larger mass to reject heat into.

In addition, slots were added to the friction surface to help sweep away any debris, brake dust, or gases that can otherwise affect your braking characteristics. Drilled rotors were not used as holes decrease your total friction area and increase the chance that the rotor will crack. Utilizing a two-piece design, we were able to decrease the overall weight of the rotor via center section produced from billet aluminum; while also helping dissipate heat from the rest of the rotor better. Semi-Floating mounting between the inner and outer sections allows for quieter rotor vs having a full-floating center section.

Lastly, the rotors feature directional internal vanes that promote more efficient airflow through the rotor which further increases the rotors ability to dissipate heat. By using curved vanes instead of the typical straight vanes, the rotor becomes directional and has to be used on a specific side of the vehicle; however, it also provides more efficient cooling. When the rotor turns, the curved vanes draw air through the center of the rotor and out through the edge, providing greater airflow than a straight vane and thus better cooling. There is another bonus to heat dissipation as the curved vanes have a larger surface area that will come in contact with air than an equivalent number of straight vanes.

Forged Calipers

Four-piston performance calipers manufactured from forged aluminum are included with the kit in a choice of powder-coated blue, red, or black.

Although each piston is individually smaller in diameter than the single OE caliper piston, the total surface area is increased so the braking force at a specific brake pressure is increased. Larger piston surface area means larger brake pads can be used as well. You also get more even braking force on each side of the rotor due to the opposed piston design. This encourages even pad wear, even rotor wear, and consistent braking characteristics. The piston diameter and material were chosen for optimum braking endurance and reliability. They are staggered in size, with the pistons on the leading edge being slightly smaller than the trailing edge pistons. This is another protection for even pad wear. Each piston is made completely out of stainless steel for its low conductive heat transfer. What this means is that the pistons themselves will transfer less heat to the brake fluid than an aluminum or steel piston, decreasing the chances of overheated brake fluid.

Performance Pads

Street performance brake pads are included with the kit. The street sports pads bridge the gap between street and trackpads. They are a more aggressive compound than the pads included with the CorkSport Big Brake Caliper Kit but are not a fulltrack pad. They will produce less dust and noise than a track pad but still need to be warmed up for optimum performance. Should you need new pads or want to change to a different pad, you have a bunch of options from G-Lock, Carbotech, EBC, Hawk, and various other manufacturers.

Lines, Brackets, and Hardware

The remainder of the CorkSport 13inch BBK is composed of exactly what you need to properly and safely install the kit on your MS6. Coated stainless steel brake lines are included to remove any risk of a soft brake pedal and ensure the calipers are operating optimally. High strength billet steel brackets properly position the four-piston calipers on the new rotors using the OE bracket locations. All components are locked down using Grade 12.9 hardware with a corrosion resistant coating for lasting durability.